Assessment of fluoride retention in jowar consuming population: A cross-sectional study

Dental fluorosis is considered as a serious public health problem in India. Water is usually the major source of fluoride exposure, but this is not the case always as exposure to local factors like diet can be important in some situations. Earlier studies have shown that jowar (a millet) consumption interacts with fluoride in the body and elevate fluorosis.

To determine the association between jowar consumption and severity of dental fluorosis.

Hundred schoolgoing children of 10-14 years old was selected by random sampling from Wadloor village. Dental fluorosis was measured in children by Thylstrup-Fejerskov index (1988). Twenty-four hours diet recall method was used to know the exposure to jowar of the children. A pretested questionnaire was given to mother or caretaker to record the jowar consumption. Spot urine samples of children were collected in plastic containers (20 ml) and brought to the laboratory in icebox. Ion selective electrode method was used to measure the fluoride level in urine samples of children.

On comparison of the quantity of jowar and fluorosis using Pearson Chi-square test, difference among variable was found out to be statistically significant (P = 0.013, P < 0.05). On comparison of quantity jowar consumption and urinary fluoride level using Pearson Chi-square test, the difference among variable was found statistically significant (P < 0.001).

Jowar consuming population was positively associated with severity of dental fluorosis.